So what does a world top-20 player actually play? Andreikin’s repertoire is a great study in practicality: reliable, well-understood systems rather than the sharpest, most memory-heavy theory on the planet. He’d rather reach a position he understands than one that’s fashionable, and he loves dragging opponents out of their preparation into a fair fight. Here’s the tour — with a link to a full guide for each opening so you can learn to play them yourself.
As White: 1.d4 and the Queen’s Gambit Declined
Andreikin is primarily a 1.d4 player, and his games gravitate toward classical Queen’s Gambit Declined structures — one of the oldest, soundest ways to play chess. It typically arises from 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6, where Black shores up the center with a rock-solid pawn chain and both sides settle in for a principled fight.
The QGD suits him perfectly. It’s reliable and understandable: White gets a small, lasting space edge and a clear plan, without needing to memorize twenty moves of razor-sharp theory. That’s exactly the kind of low-drama, “let’s just play good chess” position where Andreikin’s intuition and endgame technique can do the talking. If you want to understand the broader family it comes from, start with the Queen’s Gambit guide.
As White: the offbeat weapons
Here’s the twist that makes Andreikin fun to follow: alongside his classical main lines, he’s very willing to reach for offbeat, low-theory systems to sidestep an opponent’s preparation. The Trompowsky Attack (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5) is a favorite tool of this type — it swerves the game into fresh territory on move two, denying a well-booked opponent the position they studied at home.
This is a deeply practical idea, and one casual players can steal: if you drag the game into positions you understand better than your opponent, their homework becomes worthless. Andreikin doesn’t need the “objectively best” opening — he needs a position he can out-play you in.
As Black vs 1.e4: the Sicilian and the Berlin
Against 1.e4, Andreikin picks his weapon based on what the game needs. When he wants to unbalance the position and play for a win, he turns to the flexible Sicilian Defense — often Taimanov-style setups (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6), which keep the position rich and combative without committing to a single rigid structure.
When he wants safety and simplicity instead, he leans on the ultra-solid Berlin Defense of the Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6). The Berlin is famous as one of the most reliable equalizers in chess — it steers toward a sturdy, low-risk game where Black is very hard to beat.
Having both a sharp weapon (the Sicilian) and a safe weapon (the Berlin) against 1.e4 is exactly the flexibility you’d expect from such a practical player — he can dial the risk up or down depending on the opponent and the situation.
As Black vs 1.d4: classical solidity
Facing 1.d4 himself, Andreikin stays true to form with sound, classical defenses built around a solid central pawn structure and safe development. The goal, as always, is to reach a healthy, well-understood middlegame with no early weaknesses — a position where his instincts and technique carry him, rather than a theoretical minefield where one slip is fatal.
Why his repertoire fits him so well
The common thread across everything Andreikin plays is that his openings are chosen to reach positions he understands and enjoys, not just positions the engine rates highest. A world-top-level repertoire isn’t about owning the single “best” opening — it’s about owning openings you know cold and can navigate on feel.
That’s why Andreikin can steer a game into a calm Queen’s Gambit maneuvering battle one day and a sharp Sicilian the next, and feel completely at home in both. The QGD and the Berlin give him a low-risk foundation; the Sicilian and his offbeat White tries give him teeth (and surprise value) when he wants them.
What his repertoire teaches you
There’s a genuinely useful lesson hiding in Andreikin’s opening choices: play what you understand, and keep a surprise in your back pocket.
- A reliable main line (his is the QGD as White) gives you a sound, repeatable game you can play for a lifetime without memorizing endless theory.
- A safe defense (his is the Berlin) means you’re never in real trouble straight out of the opening when you just want a solid game.
- A sharp option (his is the Sicilian) gives you something dangerous when you need to play for a win.
- An offbeat weapon (his is the Trompowsky) drags well-prepared opponents into unfamiliar territory — a fantastic equalizer against players who out-study you.
You don’t need to memorize reams of theory — start by learning the plans behind one opening from each category and you’ll already be ahead of most casual opponents.
Keep exploring
See these openings do damage in his best games, learn how he uses them in his playing style, or head back to the full Dmitry Andreikin profile. Ready to learn one? Start with the Queen’s Gambit Declined guide or the Sicilian Defense guide.
Written and fact-checked by the Chess Lab Academy Editorial Team · Facts verified against Wikipedia, his FIDE profile, and Chess.com, as of July 2026 · Positions engine-verified for legality · Last verified 2026-07-10 · How we verify content.